Clemson’s path in 2026 starts with a simple truth: the Tigers’ season may be decided by the offense, and the two biggest pressure points are the two spots you’d least want to be guessing on - quarterback and offensive line.
That’s where Dabo Swinney is heading into the year, and both groups carry plenty of uncertainty. Clemson lost starting quarterback Cade Klubnik and four offensive line starters, including right tackle Blake Miller, who went in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Swinney also passed on adding a portal quarterback, even though the five quarterbacks on the roster have combined for just one start.
After spring practice, the quarterback battle is down to redshirt junior Christopher Vizzina and freshman Tait Reynolds. Vizzina appears to be the favorite, and he does have one career start under his belt - against SMU last year. In that game, he completed 69% of his passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns, but Clemson’s offense was stuck in the mud early and managed only seven points in the first half.
Reynolds brings a different kind of uncertainty. He signed as a three-star and is coming off a season-ending hamstring injury that ended his senior year of high school.
Even so, Swinney came away impressed with him during spring work. Still, with neither player proven at the position that matters most, quarterback stands as Clemson’s shakiest group entering the season.
The offensive line isn’t far behind. Clemson lost Miller, left tackle Tristan Leigh, center Ryan Linthicum and guard Walker Parks, leaving Harris Sewell as the lone returning starter. Sewell will move to center this season.
The projected line around him includes Brayden Jacobs at left tackle, Elyjah Thurmon at left guard, Collin Sadler at right guard and Easton Ware at right tackle. Swinney did not land an experienced portal lineman, so Clemson is banking on a group that is either light on game reps or working back from injuries.
Sewell has 17 starts in 35 games, and Sadler has 15 starts in 28 games. Thurmon has two starts in 11 games, while Jacobs has four starts in 10 games.
Ware missed the 2025 season with a shoulder injury. Outside of Sewell, every projected starter is coming off a season-ending injury.
Even with all that experience last season, Clemson’s line wasn’t dominant, so there’s plenty of reason to wonder how this version will hold up once preseason practice begins.
There are concerns on defense too, and they center on linebacker depth behind Sammy Brown. Clemson lost Luke Ferrelli, the Cal linebacker and ACC defensive rookie of the year, after a whirlwind transfer sequence that sent him from Clemson to Ole Miss.
He transferred to Clemson on Jan. 7, re-entered the portal on Jan. 16, and then transferred to Ole Miss on Jan. 22.
Swinney later called out Ole Miss and coach Pete Golding for tampering.
Ferrelli’s exit also complicated Clemson’s portal plans, since the Tigers had canceled other linebacker visits after he initially committed. Now the depth chart behind Brown includes Kobe McCloud, Jeremiah Alexander, C.J.
Kubah-Taylor, Drew Woodaz, Logan Anderson and freshman Brayden Reilly. Together, that group has only four starts, with Alexander responsible for three and McCloud for one.
Defensive coordinator Tom Allen said after spring practice that he feels good about where the position’s depth is headed, but the real test will be whether those pieces actually fit next to Brown once the season gets going.
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DeAndre Hopkins Rumor Could Boost Clemsons NFL Footprint In A Big Way
DeAndre Hopkins is back in the free-agent conversation, and for Clemson fans the interest goes beyond where the veteran wideout lands next. The former Tigers star is still chasing a Super Bowl ring in 2026, and his next stop will say plenty about how teams view him at this stage of his career, when he is openly embracing more of a utility, third-down role than the every-down centerpiece he once was.
Buffalo has emerged as a logical place to watch, which would only deepen Clemsons footprint in one of the leagues most visible contenders. If Hopkins ends up there, he would join a growing Tigers presence in the Bills locker room, adding another familiar name to a roster that has already become a notable landing spot for Clemson talent. The fit makes sense on paper, but the bigger question is whether Hopkins will choose a contender that can still give him the chance to matter in the moments he values most. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Next Defining QB Battle Feels Less Settled Than Expected
Clemsons quarterback picture for 2026 is already drawing attention, and for good reason. With Cade Klubniks successor set to be decided between Vizzina and freshman Reynolds, the Tigers are looking at a competition that feels more open than expected this early in the process. Vizzina brings the edge of being next in line, but he still has limited starting experience, while Reynolds turned heads in spring practice even as he worked back from injury.
Dabo Swinney has made it clear that the job will not be handed out on reputation alone, stressing the need for Vizzina to bring it every day. Clemson is also taking a broader look at the room, with other quarterbacks in the mix as possible backups, which adds another layer to a battle that could stretch well beyond the spring. For a program that has leaned on stability at the position, the next few months will say a lot about how settled this offense really is. [Read more 🡒]
These Clemson Position Groups Give Dabo His Best Shot To Rebound
Clemson heads into 2026 with a lot to sort out after a 7-6 finish and the loss of 14 starters, but there are still a few spots on the roster that look built to carry real weight. The Tigers kept Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore in the fold, giving Chad Morris a promising starting point as he settles in as offensive coordinator, and the backfield also has enough talent to ease some of the pressure on a reworked offense.
On the other side of the ball, the edge group gives Clemson another place to feel better about its ceiling, especially with the kind of help that has arrived through the portal and from returning players. With so much turnover around those core pieces, the bigger question is whether Clemson can turn a handful of strong position groups into the kind of depth and consistency needed for a true rebound. [Read more 🡒]